Director, Ecosystem Services Markets

Our Mission in Action

Trees play a vital role in solving some of the most pressing issues facing our communities and natural spaces today. For 150 years, American Forests has stood boldly at the forefront of the conservation movement, working collaboratively and innovatively to ensure that all people have access to the benefits of trees. As we look ahead to the next 150, continued collective action will be essential to securing a healthy, climate-resilient future for all. To support this work, we are looking for a Director, Ecosystem Services Markets to join our Resilient Forests team.

Who You Are

Success in your first 1-2 years will be demonstrated by:

• Successfully managing consulting engagements with peer organizations and professional firms from start to finish, including projects focused on developing methods and tools to quantify water and other benefits from reforestation and forest health projects.
• Identifying and building a business case for new areas of innovation across American Forests, especially in terms of funding and financing in support of resilient forest ecosystems.
• Conducting an assessment of high-impact policy interventions at state and municipal levels that support increased funding for reforestation and forest health.
• Analyzing and presenting findings from external datasets on relevant corporate partners.
• Successfully creating and delivering presentations to teams across American Forests on trends, new tools, and other topics.

What You’ll Do

The Director for Emerging Ecosystem Services Markets will serve as one of American Forests’ key thought leaders on emerging ecosystem services markets and financing mechanisms in the U.S., including water and resilience markets. As America’s oldest conservation non-profit and given our focus on science-driven reforestation, American Forests is committed to unlocking funding from beyond traditional government grant sources. One of the ways to do so is through outcomes-based funding and financing for quantifiable ecosystem services benefits from reforestation. Put simply, what benefits can our reforestation projects generate that will then be sufficiently critical to the operations and missions of corporate, philanthropic, government, and other partners? How can we credibly estimate these benefits and determine their financial value? What financial, contractual, legal, and other structures must be in place for these transactions to scale?

This role will report to the Senior Director for Restoration Finance Innovation and sits within the Resilient Forests team at American Forests. (The Resilient Forests team leads dozens of restoration and reforestation projects annually across the U.S., and is also involved in creating and expanding nurseries, seed collection, and other parts of the reforestation supply chain.) This is a role for a professional with at least seven years of total experience and at least four years of experience managing complex projects from ideation to completion. The Director will be responsible for managing projects with external consulting firms for water-related tool development, researching and synthesizing trends on emerging ecosystem services markets, modeling and data visualization tools, financing mechanisms, and stakeholders, and guiding decision-making for upcoming projects and phases of work based on research findings and blank spaces. Ultimately, this Director will be instrumental for helping American Forests make the economic case for why reforestation should accelerate across the U.S.

Major responsibilities include:

Project Management (50%)

• Support the Senior Director, Restoration Finance Innovation, with RFP processes to identify qualified partner firms for upcoming projects.
• Manage day-to-day relationships with expert consultants related to water benefits accounting from reforestation and other restoration activities.
• Manage and help integrate internal software tools focused on measuring water and other ecosystem services benefits.
• Use internal tools and geospatial data to estimate ecosystem services benefits from American Forests’ historical and current reforestation and restoration projects.
• Collaborate with science team on impact measurement tools and methodologies.

Research, Data Analysis, and Thought Leadership (30%)

• Proactively monitor and report out on trends related to ecosystem services markets to American Forests teams, including on carbon, water, climate resilience, and biodiversity, including by attending webinars and conferences.
• Conduct and synthesize background research to inform decision-making, including developing market assessments, competitive landscape analyses, and summaries of potential partners, funders, and project beneficiaries.
• Serve as American Forests’ thought leader on ecosystem services measurement and monitoring, including for water, biodiversity, climate resilience, and other benefits.
• Collect and interpret primary data from monitoring stations and use this data to validate modeled estimates of benefits from reforestation and other restoration projects.
• Conduct an assessment of high-impact policy interventions at state and municipal levels that support increased funding for reforestation and forest health.
• Present to various audiences about ecosystem services tools and benefit calculations (for example, internal staff, private landowners, Tribal Nations, corporate and other partners).

Grant and Partnership Administration (20%)

• Oversee administration of consulting projects, including tracking project progress, documenting outcomes, and preparing final grant reports.
• Support proposal development and grant reporting for new corporate, philanthropic, and government partnerships related to ecosystem services benefits.
• Support Philanthropy and Communications teams by providing information on project outcomes, stories, and costs.

What We’re Looking For

We don’t expect you to check every single box. If this role excites you, we want to hear from you! We’re interested in your ability to learn, collaborate, and bring fresh perspectives.

• Undergraduate degree in Hydrology, Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Natural Resources, Environmental Science, or a related field is required.
• Masters degree in Hydrology, Civil Engineering, or Environmental Engineering strongly preferred.
• Minimum of seven (7) years’ experience in project management related to hydrology, civil engineering, forestry, natural resources, or ecological restoration with proven results.
• Experience with water benefit accounting and corporate water stewardship.
• Experience with creating and editing financial models in Excel.
• Experience in a consulting firm or other project-based, professional services-oriented role.
• Experience and comfort using software platforms and technical tools for project tracking and data management. Experience with Airtable, ArcGIS, Excel, and other geospatial or project management software preferred.
• Strong analytical skills, creativity, curiosity, openness to feedback, and the ability to effectively interact with others at all levels within an organization.
• Strong verbal and written communications skills, including the ability to translate technical data for non-technical audiences.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment.
• Systems thinking approach to problem solving.

Reporting and Supervision

The Director, Ecosystem Services Markets reports to Senior Director, Reforestation Finance Innovation. This position will work closely with the Resilient Forests team. This position does not have any direct reports at this time.

Compensation & Benefits

This is a full-time, salaried exempt position for a one-year term. Subsequent employment is subject to funding availability. The budgeted salary range is between $80,000 and $100,000.

Our comprehensive benefits package is designed to support employees’ health, financial well-being, and overall quality of life. We offer medical, dental, and vision coverage, along with health and wellness resources such as an Employee Assistance Program, flexible spending accounts, and disability, life, and AD&D insurance. To promote work-life balance, employees receive vacation and sick leave, paid holidays, parental bonding leave, bereavement leave, and military leave. Financial and retirement benefits include a 401(k) plan with a 5% employer match. Additional perks, such as a technology stipend and pet benefits, further enhance the overall employee experience.

Working Conditions

This is a remote position based in the United States. Up to 10% of travel throughout the U.S. and/or to American Forests’ headquarters in Washington D.C. may be required. This position requires the ability to remain in a stationary position (sitting or standing) for extended periods and to operate a computer and other office equipment. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to support individuals across the full range of abilities and experiences in performing the essential functions of the job.

About Us

American Forests is a national non-profit organization committed to creating healthy and resilient forests from cities to large forest landscapes, that deliver essential benefits for climate, people, water and wildlife. We advance our mission through forestry innovation, place-based partnerships to plant and restore forests and movement building. We envision a world in which the significant environmental, societal and economic benefits of forests are fully realized and equitably available to all people. Established in 1875, American Forests is the oldest national non-profit conservation organization in the U.S. working to restore urban forests and forested landscapes for over 150 years.

American Forests is proud to be a diverse, equitable, inclusive and accessible workplace. These are our shared values. We welcome individuals who bring a variety of backgrounds and experiences to be a part of our team to help make a difference individually and collectively as we work toward achieving our mission. We are committed to fostering an environment that is welcoming and respectful and provides opportunities for advancement and professional growth for every team member.

American Forests is an equal opportunity employer.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or other characteristics protected by law. Reasonable accommodation may be made to provide access to all individuals along the continuum of human ability and experience.

Minority/Female/Disabled/Veteran/LGBTQ+ Encouraged to Apply

In accordance with federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, and reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible State or local Agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information is also available in languages other than English.